Mental health in a post-pandemic world
| 24 October, 2022 | Abbie nicholson |
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COVID-19 took centre stage during World Mental Health Day on 10 October – in particular, its impact on global mental health and how to navigate the associated long-term challenges left in its wake as we move forward in a post-pandemic world.
In this blog, we explore some of the links between COVID-19 and mental health, and the cutting-edge research being published on HRB Open Research on this topic.
COVID-19: A major concern for mental health
The link between COVID-19 and mental health has been a central topic of discussion since the beginning of the pandemic, both in mainstream media and the research community, and has been identified as a major cause for concern by multiple international bodies.
COVID-19 has shown that no nation was prepared for the associated mental health crisis and the effects of long COVID. We need a new compact for mental health.
Professor Gabriel Ivbijaro MBE JP, World Federation for Mental Health Secretary-General on World Mental Health Day 2022
In 2021, UN Secretary-General Antonia Guterres urged major action to “redress the glaring inequalities exposed by the pandemic”, stating that “without determined action, the mental health impact may last far longer than the pandemic itself”.
This was echoed by the World Health Organization (WHO), who this year stated that “the COVID-19 pandemic has created a global crisis for mental health, fueling short and long-term stresses and undermining the mental health of millions.”
Academic and clinical research exploring the link between mental health and the pandemic supports this concern, with widespread findings suggesting that COVID-19 has had considerable detrimental impacts on global mental health.
COVID-19, anxiety, and depression
The WHO found a 25% increase in anxiety and depression worldwide in the first year of the pandemic, with young people, women, and people with pre-existing health conditions more likely to develop symptoms of mental disorders.
One of the primary impacts of COVID-19 on mental health has been a rise in anxiety and depression globally.
Fear, worry, and stress due to a number of pandemic-related factors – including working from home, temporary unemployment, home-schooling children, social isolation, grief, and bereavement – has taken a significant toll on the mental health of communities around the world.
This is corroborated by multiple research projects published on HRB Open Research.
Long COVID, health, and quality of life
Mahony et al. explored the impact of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) on quality of life, mental health, ability to work, and return to baseline health in 988 participants across Ireland.
At the time of completing the survey, 89% of respondents reported that they have not returned to their pre-COVID-19 level of health, and 33% reported a moderate, or higher, level of anxiety or depression – in line with the findings of the WHO scientific brief.
Alongside this rise in anxiety and depression, a high proportion of PASC patients reported that they have a moderate or severe limitation in their ability to carry out their usual activities, with 38% reporting that their ability to work is severely limited.
Read the full findings in the paper.
COVID-19 and IDD
In a research study exploring the impact of COVID-19 on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their caregivers, Linehan et al. found further evidence of a rise in depression and anxiety because of the pandemic, with a growing body of evidence suggesting a disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on people with IDD due to disruptions in healthcare provision and support.
The study reported on 3,754 family members, direct support professionals, and managers across 12 countries following participation in an online survey.
Family members observed a 65% increase in changes to mood, including depression and anxiety, in the person(s) they supported during the pandemic.
Caregivers themselves also reported high levels of stress, depression, and anxiety. Their wellbeing, as measured by the standardised Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS12), revealed that one in five reported moderate to severe anxiety, almost twice as many reported moderate to severe depression, and almost two in three reported moderate to severe stress.
Read the full findings in the paper.
Open access mental health and COVID-19 research with HRB Open Research
Anxiety and depression alone are estimated to cost the global economy $1 trillion annually – which may increase as we continue to deal with the impact of the pandemic – and robust, open, and collaborative research is key to understanding and mitigating these costs.
It’s clear that the social, physical, and economic costs of poor mental health are severe.
Open research initiatives, such as the HRB Open Research publishing Platform, are vital in rapidly evolving fields of research like mental health and COVID-19.
Not only does open research allow others to access and build upon published results and data as part of new, ever-evolving studies, it also enables increased collaboration between researchers and deeper learning opportunities, while the post-publication peer review process of HRB Open Research enables rapid publication to avoid lengthy delays in publishing new findings.
You can also read more COVID-19 research as part of the HRB Open Research COVID-19 Collection.